


Nervous

by WNBlog



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, First Meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28550598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WNBlog/pseuds/WNBlog
Summary: The one time Thranduil wanted to impress someone.
Relationships: Thranduil (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Thranduil/Thranduil's Wife
Kudos: 13





	1. I

Nervous. Thranduil, the usually calm and collected heir to the throne of Erin Lasgalen felt nervous for the second time in his life. The first time, he reminiscences with a fond smile, that he was this nervous was when he was learning how to shoot an arrow for the first time in his life. His father, the stern king Oropher, was trying to teach his first and only born son how to be a good archer. Under the expectant eyes of his father, Thranduil felt nervous. He didn’t want to disappoint his father. The king had a lot of duties and yet he still wanted to teach Thranduil how to shoot a mere arrow. Surprisingly, to the young elfling’s relief, Thranduil was able to shoot the apple Oropher placed on a high branch on his first try. That afternoon, when Thranduil saw his father’s proud face directed to him for the first time, he knew that he wanted to continue making his father proud.

But right now, Thranduil felt a whole new feeling of nervousness. Back then, Thranduil was nervous because he wanted to make his father proud. This time, the young prince is nervous because he was about to meet someone important. Someone, he would possibly have to marry soon. This fact alone stresses him out. In Thranduil’s mind, he was too young to marry. He was barely 200 years old. And from what he heard from the rumours running around the palace ever since the day the news of his possible betrothal hit the servants, his possible future wife is even younger. Thranduil dared not to think of her thoughts on their possible union. If he, at the prime age of 200, an age where most elves decide to get married, did not feel ready to take that step yet, then how was she going to fare?

All of this over-thinking led Thranduil to feel anxious. He dreaded today with a passion. And it certainly did not help that he heard every rumour going around the palace about that certain Aubree, the daughter of a minor lord amongst elves. According to the rumours, she is a free-spirited elleth. She seemed to possess a wild look in her shining brown eyes. Almost crazy according to some. Each time she would return to her home, she would be riddled with injuries from her time in the forest in the late afternoon. She would bear scratches, and twigs and leaves would be stuck in her dark brown hair.

Now, Thranduil is not someone who usually questions his father’s decisions. But just this time, he wonders if his father is not completely bias. While this certain Aubree is the daughter of lord Elrand, a dear childhood friend of Oropher, to whom each of them promised to marry their respective child once they hit their coming of age, Thranduil wanted to know in which world his father thought they would be compatible. ‘Does my father see me as someone who needs more adventure and spontaneity in their life?’ It’s not like Thranduil had no spontaneity or life. It’s just that he didn’t have time anymore to be as carefree as he used to be 100 years ago. At 200 years old, Thranduil is drowning under a mountain of paperwork every day. He is envious of Aubree’s seemingly high abundance of free time. ‘Must be nice to still be 160 years old.’ Thranduil muses frowning. Oh, how he missed the days when he would climb the tallest trees in Erin Lasgalen just so that he could see the setting sun.

But these were the nicer rumours surrounding Aubree. There were many more rumours which would make even the raunchiest men blush. Thranduil wonders if these were perhaps exaggerated or even lies twisted by the tongues of scorned elleths. There were, after all, some elleths who were quite displeased with the news of a possible engagement. Thranduil’s cool exterior made him ‘appealing’ to many. There was something in the way he would coldly analyse you that would make even the most stubborn elf squirm in their seat. According to Oropher, this was a trait which belonged to his late mother. Her stare could make you reveal your darkest secrets without your own consent. And while Thranduil doesn’t understand how his mother intimidated Oropher so much, he respects his mother’s outstanding abilities. It was not easy to sway his father after all. He rules with a steel fist over his people. He is someone the young prince looks up to a lot. So while he didn’t understand when he was younger how his father felt naked each time his mother would stare down at him, right now, as he is scrutinized by dark brown eyes, he feels sudden compassion for all the times Oropher had to undergo his mother’s stare as if he was a naughty elf and not the king of Erin Lasgalen.

The normally calm and collected Thranduil, the prince who is usually the one who stares down at people until they reveal the truth, suddenly feels the sudden urge to apologize to the young elleth in front of him for having misjudged her character in the secret of his chambers. But before he could do so, her stare suddenly breaks. In its stead, a gracious, courteous and overly sweet smile (so sweet that Thranduil thought it would rot her teeth) replaced her initial impassive expression. Her fake smile could fool anyone but not him. To give her credit, her smile was perfect, without flaw. But, Thranduil is accustomed to serving those very same smiles in the presence of annoying council members during meetings. The glint in her eyes tells him that she knows he can see through her smile. The fact that she is unbothered by this fact shows her defiance. She would not let him dictate how to live her life. Not now, not ever. It was at this moment that Thranduil’s heart skipped a beat. Not from fear, but for the third time in his life, from nervousness. As he looks at Aubree, Thranduil finds himself asking deep within his heart, ‘how do I impress someone who doesn’t seem to find me impressive at all?’


	2. II

Ever since that fateful day, Thranduil has been enamoured with Aubree. Now and then, when he would get a small break from his duties, he would sneak off to the local jewellery shop and purchase the most extravagant gifts the young elleth would recommend to him. After buying the gift-wrapped jewellery from the poor love-sick elleth who could only hope that the prince would send one of his gifts her way, he would ask a messenger to take it to Aubree’s current residence. After every gift, he would wish upon the stars illuminating Middle-Earth that she would reply with something more personal than a simple ‘thank you’. But every time his messenger would bring a small slip of paper. Another impersonal message. 

Thranduil never deemed himself to be religious. But as he receives these short uninterested messages, Thranduil finds himself praying to Valar on his window-sill overlooking the palace’s garden. ‘Please Valar, give me a sign that she returns my affection.’ He hoped deep in his heart that Aubree is simply playing hard to get. But as days turn into nights, Thranduil’s hopes started to falter. ‘Perhaps she does detest me.’ His heart would ache at the prospect of unrequited love. Each time he would think about his future marriage life, he would see nothing but coldness in his union with her. ‘She will be miserable.’ 

After six months of one-sided courting and heartbreak, Thranduil decided to speak with good-old-wise Oropher. If Aubree did not want him then he would set her free. He refuses to be the cause of her potential misery. 

Thranduil found Oropher working on diplomatic documents when he entered his private chambers. The young prince finds himself guilty for disturbing his father but his engagement had to be ended. Upon noticing Thranduil’s entrance, Oropher put down his pen, immediately concerned. It’s been a long time since Thranduil has stopped visiting him in his private chambers. ‘Not since he became an adolescent,’ Oropher muses, a small nostalgic smile on his face. However, upon seeing his son’s grave expression, Oropher’s fatherly instinct kicked in.

‘‘What’s troubling you on this beautiful evening, son?’

Thranduil takes a seat on the sofa in front of Oropher’s desk. ‘‘I fear father, that I will have to call off my engagement to Aubree.’’ 

Oropher cocked his head to the side, his braid falling on his back.

‘‘Is there any reason for your decision? Were you not elated after meeting Lady Aubree? I thought you were courting her?’’

‘‘That’s the issue father. Unfortunately, all my courting seem to not sway her. All her letters to my gifts are simply, ‘thank you, my prince.’ She is disinterested in me. I don’t want her to be in an unhappy marriage with me.’’ 

Oropher stays quiet for some time. He reminisces the time when he was trying to court his late wife. A sudden fond smile appears on his face. Thranduil looks at him questionably. 

‘‘What if you have been doing it all wrong, Thranduil? What if Lady Aubree is not interested in jewels but in thoughtful gifts? Do you remember how I told you about your mother’s love for meaningful gifts? How about you try getting to know her more and then you try to offer her gifts which fit her personality? Gifts which shows you that you listened to her? Sometimes, the way to a woman’s heart is not as simple as it might seem, my son.’’

Thranduil’s eyes lighten up at the suggestion. Oh, how foolish was he! He tried winning her over with generic, obvious gifts. That must have been why her answers were so detached! With sudden determination, Thranduil thanks his father for his advice. He swears that he will make time to get to know Aubree beyond all the rumours surrounding her. He will show that he is genuinely interested in her. ‘Hopefully, this new method will work.’

Oropher watched his son go with a soft smile on his face. ‘Are you watching over him, Love? Our son is enamoured with this female elleth. I hope you help him in wooing her. Show her that his actions are genuine. She seems quite stubborn. He will need all the help he can get. So please do guide our son on his journey.’


End file.
